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Parole Hearing for Scott Watson postponed for further psychological evaluation

Scott Watson parole news
Scott Watson (Left Inset), Ben Smart & Olivia Hope (Right Inset).

Scott Watson’s fifth parole attempt has been deferred to September to allow the Parole Board to assess conflicting psychological evaluations regarding his risk of reoffending.

Watson, imprisoned since June 1998 for the murders of Ben Smart and Olivia Hope, has consistently maintained his innocence.

Previous reports labeled him from very high to low risk, leading to confusion and a call for clarity from the Parole Board.

According to a report in state media, Watson’s refusal to admit guilt has previously hindered his eligibility for necessary psychological treatment, impacting his parole prospects.

The case will also be revisited by the Court of Appeal next month.

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11 COMMENTS

  1. ” Watson’s refusal to admit guilt “, well maybe he’s innocent and they just want him to take the rap so that they can bury the case.

    • Exactly!
      Not only that, but as a free man he will be able to unravel the police conspiracy that provided minuscule, likely planted, ‘evidence’ to convict him in lieu of what the police were unable to solve.
      NZ Police corruption goes probably way back further than Arthur Allan Thomas. But it has never been addressed appropriately and the public is losing trust exponentially, especially since NZ police has been politicized and made into a paramilitary force against its own unarmed population.

      • Look what happened to Liz Gunn at the Auckland Airport…Liz the victim becomes Liz the criminal..
        What a corrupt and selective victimisation Police Force we have here…
        NEVER CALL THE COPS! They will turn your being a victim into one of being a perpetrator!

    • After what happened to Liz Gunn, I lost all faith in NZ courts and their judges. I am not alone with this stance. The vast majority of the nation agrees. The whole idea of a proper justice system and appropriate behaviour from police is to have justice. From the assault on Liz, her arrest to the withholding of evidence to the conviction is all unlawful. You don’t get away with assaulting a political public figure ever. Every police officer relies upon the integrity of the other officers for their own wellbeing and safety. That’s just gone down quite a notch. This is why police, police with consent. The police and judges are never tools of the government for political purpose.

      https://rumble.com/v4x34dc-what-precedent-does-this-set.html

  2. I happen to think he’s probably guilty but feel that a lot of time has passed. He should be given a chance to prove himself outside of the prison walls. Any missteps and I guess he goes back, but yeah give the guy one chance.

    • Well, what you happen to think is your prerogative, but ‘probably guilty’ and ‘that a lot of time has passed’ is totally beside the point of real justice.

      • One of my friends was a witness at the trial so I have some knowledge of things……I am willing to give SOME people second chances. Of course the problem with this case are his unhinged supporters…..they don’t help his cause at all.

      • Justice would be to find out once and for all what happened to Ben and Olivia. Clearly they were dumped overboard somewhere because they have never been found.

        Seems just SO strange that Scott slipped quietly away in the early hours and then just happened to repaint his boat that next day don’t ya think? I mean gosh what a bloody coincidence.

        He tried to get other people on his boat, I know that for a fact from the person involved. I know what he said. Just all strange behaviour and more coincidences.

        But, as I say, that was a long time ago, I am willing to think he could be released from jail and prove he is indeed a law abiding contributing member of society – unless he’s not. It’s up to him now.

  3. I never believed this man killed those two young people. I disagreed with Ian Wishart also, whom I respect as a an investigative journalist. I believe Watson was set up as a patsy. There was something very strange about the ketch and its movements as many witnesses testified but the police seemed determined from the get go the ketch never existed and that Watson was guilty. Now we observe a kafkaesque situation where his chances of parole go up if he admits to the murders (they will set a self confessed murderer free after giving him the ‘necessary’ psychological treatment), but he will remain in jail if he maintains his innocence because the state has deemed this to be a denial of state decreed reality indicating a psychological blip and a possibility of his committing more murders.
    Damned if you do and damned if you don”t.

    • State decreed reality permeates through ALL of the NZ ‘justice’ system.
      If the criminal system wasn’t bad enough, the Family Court system is truly from hell.

  4. One thing comes to mind. Arthur Alan Thomas.
    Popes advancement within the police force relied on the conviction of Watson. There is absolutely no doubt that Watson is innocent. Police refused to listen to eye witness accounts of the ketch. One witness even said they saw two other people aboard etc etc. All buried.

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